Chapter 656: Legends of the Gods
"Is he... is he insane?"
"Having just broken through to the Fish-Dragon Realm, he dares to compete in sword debates with seniors at the Eighth Change of Fish-Dragon? Even Senior Brother Gai Hao wouldn't do something this crazy."
Han Qiu was also startled by Lin Yue's reckless move. Staring at his back, she rubbed her chin with her finger and said with a half-smile, "This guy doesn't look stupid, so why is he doing something so foolish? Even if he really got a lucky encounter, there's no way he could reach the level to fight a cultivator at the Eighth Change of Fish-Dragon in such a short time."
Purple Cloud Half-Saint furrowed his brow as well, feeling he couldn't understand Lin Yue.
What exactly was this little fellow trying to do?
Zhang Ruochen completely ignored the shocked looks from the crowd, appearing very calm. He stepped back twice, looked up, and saw the name "Lin Yue" on the jade stele, finally nodding in satisfaction.
One reason he joined the sword debate at the Eighth Change of Fish-Dragon was, of course, for the Glazed Glass Treasure Pill. The other reason was that Zhang Ruochen truly wanted to use the sword debate to hone his swordsmanship and force himself to improve.
In fact, the sword debate at the Eighth Change of Fish-Dragon was already the limit he could handle.
Zhang Ruochen was using the strength of "Green Robe Star Envoy" as a reference standard.
Green Robe Star Envoy was at the Seventh Change of Fish-Dragon, but her strength surpassed many cultivators at the Ninth Change of Fish-Dragon.
Participating in the sword debate as Lin Yue, Zhang Ruochen couldn't use many of his abilities, such as spiritual power, Time Sword Art, Space Domain, Abyssal Ancient Sword, Dragon Pearl, Flowing Light Invisibility Cloak... many of his trump cards all had to be hidden.
As a result, the strength Zhang Ruochen could display was limited to swordsmanship alone, at best tying with Green Robe Star Envoy at the Seventh Change of Fish-Dragon, or even being slightly weaker.
The Liangyi Sect's power was no weaker than the Eastern Region's Evil Lands. On the arena for the Seventh Change of Fish-Dragon, there would definitely be proud sons of heaven or old masters whose strength matched Green Robe Star Envoy's.
Therefore, Zhang Ruochen's best choice was the arena for the Seventh Change of Fish-Dragon.
However, with about a month left until the third day of the third month, Zhang Ruochen had to push himself once, forcing a breakthrough to the Fifth Change of Fish-Dragon.
If he could break through to the Fifth Change of Fish-Dragon, he would have a chance to enter the top ten of the sword debate at the Eighth Change of Fish-Dragon level. So, in the end, he chose to fight cultivators at the Eighth Change of Fish-Dragon.
People need pressure to have motivation.
Purple Cloud Half-Saint stood at the top of the Shangqing Palace steps, his gaze quite cold and stern. He extended an aged hand and condensed a strand of purple sacred qi. With a flick of his finger, the purple sacred qi flew out, wrapping around Zhang Ruochen below the jade stele and lifting him up.
Zhang Ruochen felt a dizzying spin, and then his vision blurred. The next moment, he was standing before Purple Cloud Half-Saint.
Zhang Ruochen showed no nervousness at all. He clasped his hands and bowed deeply to Purple Cloud Half-Saint, saying, "Master has summoned your disciple. May I ask for your instructions?"
Having been promoted to a sacred disciple, Zhang Ruochen was now a disciple of Purple Cloud Half-Saint, so naturally he addressed him as Master.
"Why did you choose the eighth jade stele? Do you know how difficult that is?" Purple Cloud Half-Saint said sternly.
Purple Cloud Half-Saint had high hopes for Lin Yue, wishing he could enter the top ten at some realm.
Because if he reached the top ten at any realm, he would have the chance to study the "Wordless Sword Manual" and participate in the Sword Debate Assembly on the ninth day of the ninth month.
If Lin Yue had chosen the Fourth Change of Fish-Dragon or the Fifth Change of Fish-Dragon, he would almost certainly enter the top ten, and might even take first place.
But he chose the eighth jade stele. Not to mention entering the top ten, even winning a single match was impossible.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Your disciple wants to give it a try."
Purple Cloud Half-Saint's gaze turned very severe, radiating a faint sacred might, and he scolded, "On the path of cultivation, one must proceed step by step. The most taboo thing is arrogance and conceit. Like you, having a bit of a lucky encounter and immediately forgetting who you are, you're nothing but a frog at the bottom of a well who doesn't know his place."
"Now, your master can erase your name from the eighth jade stele and give you another chance. Do you know what choice to make?"
Many people, upon suddenly gaining great power, lose themselves, becoming arrogant and self-righteous, ultimately destroying themselves.
Purple Cloud Half-Saint was so stern precisely because he wanted to wake Lin Yue up with a sharp blow, guiding him back to the right path, not wanting him to be blinded by his newfound fortune.
As the saying goes, love runs deep, so the pain cuts deep.
But since Zhang Ruochen had made his decision, he naturally couldn't change it.
If he switched to a lower-realm sword debate, although he might easily enter the top ten, it wouldn't hone his swordsmanship and would be a complete waste of time.
Zhang Ruochen insisted, "Master, your disciple still chooses the sword debate at the Eighth Change of Fish-Dragon level."
"You rebellious disciple..."
Purple Cloud Half-Saint trembled with anger, even raising his hand, wanting to slap Zhang Ruochen across the face, but in the end, he held back.
Beside them, Primordial Dragon Half-Saint laughed as if gloating, "Congratulations! Congratulations to Purple Cloud Half-Saint for taking on such a fine disciple. Lin Yue, I have high hopes for you. If you can enter the top ten, be sure to come and tell me. I'll give you a sacred sword."
Zhang Ruochen said, "Senior, wouldn't that be inappropriate?"
"What's wrong with that? I just like to nurture promising young talents like you. Don't be shy with me. Haha!"
Primordial Dragon Half-Saint laughed loudly, then took a step forward, transforming into a beam of sacred light and flying off, disappearing into the horizon.
Purple Cloud Half-Saint gave Lin Yue a meaningful look, full of regret, but in the end, he only sighed, closed his aged eyes, unwilling to say more, and waved his hand, saying, "Since your mind is made up, your master won't advise you further. There's a senior in Shangqing Palace who wants to see you. Go in."
Zhang Ruochen naturally understood why Purple Cloud Half-Saint was pained, but he didn't change his decision. He just bowed respectfully to Purple Cloud Half-Saint and stepped over the threshold into Shangqing Palace.
After Zhang Ruochen left, Purple Cloud Half-Saint let out a long breath, very distressed, and said, "Purple Cloud Spirit Mountain finally produced such a good seedling. Could it be that it's about to be ruined?"
Sacred path cultivation was ultimately one's own business.
Although Purple Cloud Half-Saint could use his powerful cultivation to force Lin Yue to change his earlier decision and participate in a lower-realm sword debate, he knew deeply that this wouldn't change his heart.
So what use would it be?
Purple Cloud Half-Saint shook his head, utterly disappointed in Lin Yue. He sighed with deep regret, no longer wanting to bother with him, and left Shangqing Palace alone.
Entering Shangqing Palace, Zhang Ruochen saw, in the center of the resplendent hall, an old Daoist dressed entirely in white robes. His white hair hung down like a waterfall, reaching the ground. He had no imposing aura, looking just like an ordinary old man.
Yet Zhang Ruochen knew that someone whom Purple Cloud Half-Saint called "senior" could not possibly be an ordinary person.
"Greetings, Senior." Zhang Ruochen bowed.
From the moment Zhang Ruochen entered, the white-haired old man had been observing him closely. A kind smile appeared on his wrinkled face, and he said, "No need for formalities. Lin Yue, do you know why I wanted to see you alone?"
Zhang Ruochen straightened up and said, "Could it be that Senior wants to ask about the 'Eight Hundred Miles of Purple Qi' phenomenon that occurred during the coronation ceremony earlier?"
The white-haired old man smiled and said, "If I really asked that question, you would surely tell me you don't know the reason either. Right?"
"Your disciple truly doesn't know the reason behind it." Zhang Ruochen said calmly.
Although they had only just met, Zhang Ruochen could already sense that this old Daoist was very extraordinary, as if nothing could escape him.
Who on earth was he?
The white-haired old Daoist clasped his hands behind his back and said, "You don't know the reason, but I might know a little. Do you want to hear it?"
"Please enlighten me, Senior."
The white-haired old Daoist's expression turned serious, and he said, "Do you know that before the Middle Ages, the Kunlun Realm had 'Gods'?"
"One hundred thousand years ago, someone cut down the Kunlun Realm's divine root—the Sky-Connecting Divine Tree. From then on, no gods have appeared in heaven and earth. The Middle Ages also ended at that time, ushering in the Godless Era, which we call the Near Ancient Era."
Zhang Ruochen listened silently, not speaking.
The white-haired old Daoist continued, "The Liangyi Sect is one of the three branches of the Taiji Dao, originating in the Ancient Era and flourishing in the Middle Ages."
"The Ancient Era is now very distant. About eight hundred thousand years ago, three disciples of the Taiji Dao—Shangqing, Yuqing, and Taiqing—came to the Falling God Mountain Range and founded the Liangyi Sect. Later, through the efforts and struggles of countless generations, surviving many calamities and enjoying endless prosperity, it finally developed into the Liangyi Sect of today."
"Of course, what I just said is all mythological legend. Even the oldest ancient texts have no precise records of the three founding patriarchs. I've read all the Liangyi Sect's archives, and the earliest records only go back two hundred thousand years. Beyond that, there are only fragments of words. No one knows if that ancient legend truly existed."
Zhang Ruochen frowned and said, "Senior, what do you mean?"
The white-haired old Daoist smiled, staring into Zhang Ruochen's eyes, and said, "The three sword intents you fused are very special. They are not sword intents left by anyone in the Liangyi Sect over the past two hundred thousand years. That means the person who left those sword intents existed before two hundred thousand years ago."
"Two hundred thousand years ago, only the three founding patriarchs of the Liangyi Sect left their names in history, still remembered and recited to this day."
Zhang Ruochen smiled and said, "Senior doesn't think that your disciple fused the sword intents left by the three founding patriarchs, does he?"
"Others have no chance, but you are different. You have triggered the Resonance of the Gods four times, bearing the Divine Marks of the Gods within you, and have the fortune of the Gods upon you. It's not impossible that you could draw out the sword intents left by the three patriarchs." The white-haired old Daoist still smiled as he looked at Zhang Ruochen.
A storm of shock surged within Zhang Ruochen's heart.
Who was this old Daoist before him, and how could he see that he had triggered the Resonance of the Gods four times? (To be continued.)